Path to Freedom
by dead drifter
Summary: Neji/Tenten. Tenten wakes up after a foreboding dream to find Neji standing at the edge of a cliff. "There's only one path to freedom, Tenten. Only one." WARNING bring some Kleenex! Birthday present for Purplewolfstar35!


**"Path to Freedom"**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**A/N: My first story outside of my Akatsuki box! This is a birthday present for Purplewolfstar35 AKA Ren Ren, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Go visit her stories, if you like this one you'll LOVE her stuff! LOTS of Neji/Tenten:P**

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_The sky is black as pitch, the clouds pale silver, and in the open, as if hung by invisible chains, there is a golden cage. A lone bird beats its wings within the cage, struggling to free itself, but its efforts are useless. Tenten suddenly finds herself suspended in the air before it, reaching out to unlatch the door to set the bird free, but she plummets just as her fingers graze the smooth bars, plummets into a churning black ocean…_

Tenten gasped and sat bolt upright. That dream again…The brown haired girl sat up and wiped at her forehead. She was sweating, her heart beating as if she'd been running in her sleep. Tenten got up and padded over to her window. She pulled back the curtains to stare up at the night sky. No moon tonight. She cast her gaze downward. The street lamps gleamed gold and orange, illuminating the empty streets below.

Tenten felt wide awake, and knew that something was wrong. The dream had never been so vivid before, and she'd certainly never before noticed the eyes of the bird, eyes so familiar to her. A name came to her mind, and Tenten quickly got dressed and went out into the night, praying that nothing bad would happen.

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The girl ran down the same streets she'd been gazing at a moment earlier, snaking in between buildings, ducking into alleyways. She knew the city as well as she knew Neji's hands, every curve, every bump, every scar. Tenten soon found herself outside the city limits and out in the open. The air was cold and smelled faintly of salt. She was close to the sea.

With quick footsteps, Tenten came across a narrow sandy path, and followed it upwards the slope of a great cliff. There was a single gnarled old tree at the top, and standing beside the tree was the caged bird. Neji. Tenten slowed her gait, not wanting to startle her friend.

"Neji?" Tenten asked when she was close enough to reach out and touch him. Neji let out a slow, shaky breath, but didn't turn to look at her. He kept his pale eyes on the crashing waves below.

"Please, Neji," Tenten whispered, placing her hand over his. There was something balled in his fist, a crumpled up piece of paper. Neji relaxed his grip and Tenten took that as an invitation and grabbed the paper and smoothed it out the best she could. Tenten read it in silence, and when she'd finished, her face was crestfallen, tears burning at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, oh Neji, I'm—"

"There's only one path to freedom, Tenten. Only one."

Neji turned to look at Tenten then, and that intense gaze made the girl want to cry. Even in his darkest hour, the boy wouldn't let his feelings come to the surface. Was this really the only way he could escape his bonds? Just as Neji took that first step towards the edge of the cliff, Tenten hugged him around the waist.

"You don't have to do this. I'm here for you."

Neji pried Tenten away and stared into her eyes, searching them, but for what? Tenten never really ever knew.

"You didn't come here to stop me. Let go, Tenten. Just let go." Tenten was crying freely now, but she didn't get in the way as Neji began to walk towards the edge, towards death, the true path the Freedom.

"I love you!" Tenten cried, watching her best friend turn on his heel and spread his arms wide as if he could touch the stars.

"I know," Neji said softly, and Tenten could have sworn she saw him smile as he fell, his long dark hair swept upwards like a veil to hide his face. Tenten didn't dare move. Her ears were pricked for the sound of a splash, but the wind was too strong, the crashing of the waves on the rocks too violent and steady.

There was a faint ringing in Tenten's ears that seemed to drown out the torrent below, as if she were going deaf. But the heart wrenching pain she'd expected to feel…the sense of loss or fear…it wasn't there. She somehow knew that Neji had not died. As if she would see him again, and soon.

Tenten looked at the wrinkled letter and with a smile, she crumbled it back up and tossed it into the sea.

_Tenten, I'm rid of this cage, and my wings lift me to new heights. But I will always be anchored to the ground, as long as my heart lies with you. You're the only one who told me I could be free, that I could change my fate. I will always love you for that. If you want to find me again, just speak my name in the wind, and I'll be there. _

_Neji _


End file.
